Open up or close down: How do parental reactions affect youth information management?

The purpose of this study was to test a process model of youthsʹ information management. Using three waves of longitudinal data collected from 982 youths, we modeled parentsʹ positive and negative reactions to disclosure predicting youthsʹ feelings about their parents, in turn predicting youthsʹ disclosure and secrecy about their daily activities. Gender, age, and psychopathic personality traits were examined as potential moderators. The results showed that parentsʹ negative reactions were associated with increases in youthsʹ feeling controlled and decreases in youthsʹ feeling connected to their parents, which in turn, predicted increased secrecy and decreased disclosure. In contrast, parentsʹ positive reactions predicted increased feeling connected to parents, which in turn predicted increased disclosure. Moreover, these predictive pathways were modified by youthsʹ psychopathic personality traits. Our results are consistent with a transactional model suggesting that how parents react to youthsʹ disclosure affects youthsʹ future decisions to provide their parents with information about their daily activities. The results point to the importance of considering youthsʹ feelings and characteristics.